Tuesday, June 03, 2014

Borno to Relocate Returnee Chibok Schoolgirls
Map of location where Nigerian students were abducted.
Written by Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri
Nigerian Guardian

THE 57 Chibok schoolgirls, who escaped from their captors last week, would be relocated to others schools in Zaria, Abuja or Lagos to complete their secondary education, the Borno State Government has said.

   Also, American counseling experts on trauma would be in Maiduguri to attend to them, as their parents do not want to part with them yet.

   The state’s plan was made known yesterday at the Government House in Maiduguri, where Governor Kashim Shettima had a closed door meeting with parents, Chibok council chairman, Bana Lawan, and the schoolgirls.

   “The abduction of the schoolgirls by the Boko Haram gunmen does not only affect parents here present in this council chamber but all of us,” Shettima said. “I have daughters too, and as a leader, people’s lives and property must be protected, and the traumatized girls and their parents rehabilitated.

   “These girls have no other place to go to. We also have no plans to politicize the abduction of the 219 innocent schoolgirls from their school. If any person doubts their abduction, let him or her go to the affected town and meet their parents.”

   Shettima said of their education: “We will not disclose the name of the secondary school where they will complete their secondary education, as it has been interrupted by their abduction since April.”

   He further disclosed that each returnee schoolgirl complete her secondary education at the cost of N1.5 million, while their parents would be consoled, until the remaining schoolgirls are rescued.

   He also directed the council chairman to meet all the affected parents in Chibok and console with, while an undisclosed amount of money would be disbursed to each parent.

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